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We returned from Portugal just in time to watch France win the World Cup!  A big screen was set up in the main square in town and it was a huge party.  We met some of our friends to watch the game, and our friend Adam from Greenville was in town for work so he came along too.  As soon as we got to the square it started to rain, but that didn’t stop us!  The atmosphere was so much fun and every time France scored a goal the crowd went crazy with horns, dancing, and colored smoke bombs.  The rain let up, the sun came out and France won!  My mom was so sweet to take the kids back home and feed them and put them to bed while Ryan and I went out to celebrate with our friends Adam and Katie.  We walked around town a little bit and it was crazy everywhere we went; people were even in one of the big fountains in Place de la Victoire splashing and cheering!  After having kebabs for dinner, we wound up at a bar that had a crowd standing outside singing and dancing….they even played the song “We are the Champions”.  It was so much fun and definitely a memorable experience!  Allez les bleus!

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Just as school was ending for Makenna, my mom arrived and we headed to Portugal for vacation.  We started our trip in the Algarve region in the south.  Our AirBnb apartment overlooked the beach and was the perfect place to relax and enjoy the beach.  Our first 2 days were spent playing at the beach and eating delicious local seafood.

After some relaxation, we went on a boat tour of the marine caves that the Algarve is known for, including the biggest and most impressive called the Benagil Cave.  The boat was really small and was able to fit inside even the small caves, and the kids loved it!

One of the days we spent there was our anniversary, so Ryan made reservations at a restaurant on the beach and we had a night out without the kids….hallelujah!

Next we visited the city of Lagos.  Our first stop was Ponta da Piedade, a group of rock formations and grottos, along the coastline.  My fear of heights was being tested, but it didn’t stop me….the view was just too beautiful!  We then headed into the city where we saw the beautiful tile work Portugal is known for and walked along the boardwalk.

Our last day in the Algarve was spent in Albufeira.  We walked around the city and ate seafood near the beach.  We also had to stop once, maybe twice, for the popular Pastel de Nata which is a custard tart often topped with cinnamon.

We then headed to Lisbon for 2 days.  After a much needed stop at Starbucks, we went to Rossio Square to see the beautiful fountains.  Then we walked around the city a little and saw the old trolleys.  After having lunch at Time Out Market, which is an indoor market with all kinds of restaurants, we took a ride up the Elevador da Bica (a funicular railway line).  It was so neat to see this old form of transportation and how it came within inches of the homes and businesses on each side!  We also visited Torre de Belem, which is a fortified tower built in the early 16th century.  As usual, I had to find a souvenir or two and while in one of the gift shops I found something I just had to take home….a very large hand-painted ceramic rooster.  This rooster was very lucky that he made it home as Ryan was less than pleased to have to transport it back, especially since it had to be carried on the plane with us!

It was such a nice vacation, but we were happy to return home and excited to watch France play in the World Cup finals!